What If She Had Been
by Nibinlotwen
Summary: ONESHOT. After a long time, they meet again. General/Angst?. GIlbertElizaveta if you look carefully.


A/N: GilbertElizaveta-ish. Don't own the Hetalia series etc etc. Inspired by : devinatart .com/art/APH-Prussia-127022547 and the ending by : deviantart .com/art/APH-Gilbert-of-Prussia-127355340 .

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Elizaveta tightened her grip on the frying pan handle.

"You don't have the _right_ to judge me! You, you-" Gilbert took another step forward with a look on his face that she had never seen before. It was kind of a smirk, but -

He was too close for comfort, and her hand moved before she had even realized - only to be stopped by his hand gripping her wrist.

He had never caught her pan hand before.

Elizaveta felt vulnerable, _naked_. But that look in his eyes, not the fact that her only defense - and offense - was now useless, was what made her shiver.

"I what?" he whispered, looking straight into her eyes.

Elizaveta wanted to turn away and run. _Run_.

She hadn't noticed her grip on her pan loosened before it fell onto the ground and made a loud sound that almost gave her a heart attack.

Then she realized that she had nothing to protect herself with.

Slowly she turned her gaze back to the platinum blond who now sported an almost unnoticeable smirk on his face. His eyes - she had never noticed how _red_ they were..

* * * * *

Why wasn't she picking up her pan? He had loosened his grip on her wrist a long time ago. Then again, she seemed to be staring at him as if she was looking at one of the paintings at Roderich's place, appreciating the brushstrokes or something.

The flower she always had on her hair looked like it was about to fall. Gilbert couldn't remember when she had started to put one in her hair, or why. And right then it didn't even matter, because a small whimper escaped her pink lips. His blood felt warm, rushing through his body, too warm.

She wasn't a child anymore. She had turned into a woman, no matter how much Gilbert wished she hadn't. Those green eyes used to filled with an adventurous spark, with an excitement whenever she left for battle. And now..

She looked confused, lost. Had she really been a boy, their paths might not have separated. They might have remained friends instead of turning into what they were now. Had it now been for Roderich..

Gilbert stopped his thoughts right there. He let her hand go but didn't turn away. He couldn't. Her eyes had locked him into place.

* * * * *

She wanted to take a step back, to put some space between them. She couldn't. His eyes were locked with hers, maybe trying to convey a message. She couldn't decipher it, not like in the old days.

When they were young, when she still though they were the same, when she thought nothing would ever change. When she could be herself without anyone judging her.

Maybe that's why it had been so difficult to accept that, in fact, she wasn't a boy. She wasn't meant to fight: she was meant to clean and cook. She was meant to become someone's wife, slave.

It would have been different with Gilbert - Prussia. She wouldn't have had to pretend to be something she wasn't. She could have become anything she wanted to be.

Her hand suddenly felt empty, as if it was only now reacting to the absence of her frying pan. The only weapon she was allowed to have nowadays. Her security, her armour, her _spirit_.

Finally she was able to tear her gaze away from his eyes - alluring red - and locate her pan. She kneeled down to get it, but her hand was left hovering over the handle.

She hesitated.

* * * * *

Why did she stop?

"The gods think it's funny", Elizaveta said, not meeting his eyes, "I used to be so strong. Now _this_ is my only weapon".

The pan.

She finally picked it up. She stayed kneeling on the ground, however, and appeared to be lost in though.

"Then pick up your sword again."

Green eyes looked up. Gilbert could see the desperation shining in them, and it made him sick.

"And what, challenge you?! I have no use for a sword. If I fight against you, or anyone, I would be utterly destroyed. I would be torn apart! I would be -"

"Then join me", he interrupted her, without even knowing why. If she was anything like back then, she wouldn't even consider it. She wouldn't agree with his boss about the fate of Jews.

".. what?" she was so shocked it was a wonder she got a word out of her mouth.

Gilbert stayed silent. He wouldn't repeat it, the offer, he just couldn't do that to her. What if she was so unhappy with her life, so desperate to change it that she would accept, agree?

"I.. will not. You know that, Gilbert."

Prussia's heart started beating again. Wait, when had it even stopped?

".. yeah", he answered and finally turned away.

Maybe it was best he stopped wandering in the woods. He didn't want to see her like this, ever again.

Their chance encounter plagued his mind long after he had returned home.


End file.
